The present invention is directed generally to film adapter apparatus mountable on photographic apparatus. More particularly, it relates to adapters and methods, wherein the adapter cooperates with a film transfer mechanism for allowing proper sequential exposure of film units that are housed thereby, while acting to protect the photographic apparatus during non-exposure modes.
A wide variety of camera backs have been proposed in the photographic arts for attachment to cameras. In general, such adapters properly locate a stack of film carried thereby for sequential exposure. In the instant or self-developing film arts, for example, it is well-known to carry the film stack in a cassette that is insertable in the camera back for facilitating exposure. Exemplary camera backs are described in the following commonly assigned U.S. Pat. Nos.: 1,648,525; 4,348,086; 4,568,163: and, 4,531,818. While known adapters, such as those indicated above, perform their functions satisfactorily, none is known to mechanically cooperate with a removable transport or shuttle mechanism that, in turn, selectively carries a film carrying cassette which is operable for sequentially exposing the film. More specifically, none of the known adapters functionally cooperate with such a shuttle mechanism so as to activate the latter for allowing sequential film exposure. Moreover, none of the adapters have blocking or curtain mechanisms operable automatically for protecting the camera in response to removal of the shuttle mechanism.